Socket for spaced contacts of tubular members



Jan. 9, 1968 w. J. GARVER ET AL 3,

SOCKET FOR SPACED CONTACTS OF TUBULAR MEMBERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledDec. 14, 1965 INVENTOR WILLIAM JesEPH GARVIR MICHAEL Anmouv Q'H MLAN ABY W W Jan. 9, 1968 w. J. GARVER ET AL 3,363,217

SOCKET FOR SPACED CONTACTS OF TUBULAR MEMBERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledDec. 14. 1965 INVENTOR. WILLIAM \XOSEPH G-ARVER Mum-(An Au'mouvQ'HANLANlM Jan. 9, 1968 w. J. GARVER ET AL 3,363,217

SOCKET FOR SPACED CONTACTS OF TUBULAR MEMBERS Filed Dec. 14, 1965 4SheetsSheet 5 INVENTOR. WILLIAM 405mm GARVER MICHAEL Am-mmv 'HANLAN,\\R.

70 M WW Jan. 9, 1968 3,363,217

SOCKET FOR SPACED CONTACTS OF TUBULAR MEMBERS w. J. GARVER ET AL.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 14, 1965 Ha INVENTOR. WILLIAM 455?" G-ARVERMncvmu. ANTHONY O HAHLA BY W, M JWJ United States Patent 3,363,217SOCKET FOR SPACED CONTACTS 0F TUBULAR MEMBERS William Joseph Garver,Harrisburg, and Michael Anthony OHanlan, Jr., Carlisle, Pa., assignorsto AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

Filed Dec. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 513,696 Claims. (Cl. 339-51) ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A socket includes a housing and terminal members with thehousing member having openings in one surface through which spacedcontacts of an electrical element extend, the openings having largeportions and small portions. Guide members extend outwardly from insidethe housing member and extend along over one-half of the large portionsof the openings and adjacent part of the small portions of the openingsto guide the contacts. The housing member and the terminal membersinclude means to removably secure the terminal members in positionwithin the housing member so that the terminal members provide sectionsextending slightly across the small portions of the openings and thesesections of the terminals electrically engage the contacts of theelectrical element and secure the element in position.

This invention relates to sockets for receiving spaced contacts oftubular members and more particularly to sockets for receiving spacedcontacts of starter members and starter members and one end offluorescent tubes.

It is an object of the invention to provide a socket for receivingspaced contacts of tubular members wherein terminal members are readilyinsertable and removable from the housing member.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a socket forreceiving spaced contacts of a starter member for fluorescent tubes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a socket for receivingspaced contacts of a starter member and spaced contacts of one end of afluorescent tube wherein terminal members are readily inserted andremoved therefrom.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a socket including areadily moldable housing member which is simple in construction and ofsturdy design and terminal members of simple configuration which areeasily mounted in the housing member and properly protected at alltimes.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a socket forsupporting the lamp and its starting mechanism in positions immediatelyadjacent each other to facilitate servicing of these parts.

Still an additional object of the invention is to provide a socket ofthe character described that can be produced at low cost, is eificientin operation, the terminal members can be inserted into position withoutthe use of tools and the terminal members make good electrical contactwith respective contacts or pins.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings inwhich there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of theinice vention; it is to be understood, however, that these embodimentsare not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but aregiven for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in theart may fully understand :the invention and the principles thereof andthe manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it invarious forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of aparticular use.

The foregoing objects are achieved by means of a socket including ahousing member and terminal members. The housing member has openings ina top surface through which contacts of a starter member extend. Guidemembers extend outwardly from inside said housing member and extendalong over one half of the largest portions of the openings and along asmall part of the smallest portions of the openings to guide thecontacts. The housing member and the terminal members include means toremovably secure the terminal members in position within the housingmember so that the terminal members provide sections extending slightlyacross the smallest parts of the openings. The sections of the terminalselectrically engage the contacts of the starter member and secure thestarter member in position. In another embodiment, the socket memberincludes a housing member having a section for receiving spaced contactsof a starter member and another section for receiving spaced contacts ofone end of a fluorescent tube.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a socket for a startermember;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the socket and starter member inassembled condition;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view in partial section of thehousing member and terminal member of the socket prior to the terminalmember being secured within the housing member;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan partially-sectioned view of the terminal membersecured in position within the housing member;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the front of the socket;

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view in partial section illustratingan alternative embodiment for securing the terminal member in positionwithin the housing member;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan partially-sectional view of the terminal membersecured in the housing member;

FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment ofthe socket into which a starter member and one end of a fluorescent tubeare disposed;

FIGURE 9 is a front elevational view of the socket of FIGURE 8 with theterminal members in place therein;

FIGURE 10 is a view taken along lines 1010 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 1 1 is a view taken along lines 1 111 of FIGURE 10; and

FIGURE 12 is a view taken along lines 12- 12 of FIGURE 10.

Turning now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURES 1 through4, there is illustrated a socket S comprising a housing member H andterminal members T. Socket S receives spaced contacts 1 of aconventional starter member SM. Housing member H is made from anysuitable dielectric material -by conventional molding techniques andcomprises a top section 2 having spaced keyhole openings 3 extendingtherethrough, each of keyhole openings 3 being provided with a largesection and a small section. Guide members 4 extend outwardly from theinside surface of section 2. The guide members extend along the largeportions of openings 3 and along more than half the circumferencethereof. A portion of guide members 4 also extends along the smallportions of keyhole openings 3 and inwardly thereof. Sides 5 extendoutwardly from the edges of section 2. Recesses 6 are disposed inopposing sides 5 and are in alignment With respective projections 7which extend outwardly from the inner surface of section 2 betweenopenings 3 and adjacent sides 5. Guide members 4 have extensions 8 whichextend outwardly from the inner surface of section 2 and respectivesides 5 and are spaced from respective projections 7.

Arcuately-shaped members 9 extend outwardly from the inner surface ofsection 2 and opposed sides 5 contain recesses 6. Similar shaped members10 extend outwardly from members 9 and sides .5 and extend a slightdistance above sides'5 as well as being smaller than members 9.Arcuately-shaped recesses 11 are located in the outer surface of section2 and extend within arcuatelyshaped members 9. Apertures 12extendthrough members 9 and 10 and communicate with recesses 11.Mounting means such as, for example, screws, bolts or the like extendthrough apertures 12 and the heads thereof are disposed within recesses11. Extensions 13 extend outwardly from opposing sides 5. Theseextensions are thinner than sides 5 thereby forming surfaces 14instepped fashion between sides 5 and extensions 13. Lugs 15 are centrallydisposed on extensions 13 and are spaced from surfaces 14.

Cover member 16 has a rectangular configuration and is fitable in thearea defined by surfaces 14 and opposing sides 5 containing recesses 6.Rectangular recesses 17 are located in opposing sides of the covermember and arcuate-s'haped recesses 18 are disposed in the otheropposing sides thereof. Cover member 16 is sufiiciently flexible so thatin applying the cover member to the housing member, recesses 17 matewith lugs 15 and this part of the cover member is brought intoengagement with surfaces 14, the cover member is then slid alongsurfaces 14 until recesses 18 mate with members 10 as illustrated inFIGURE 2. Thus, opposing sides 5 and surfaces 14 provide surfaces onwhich cover member 16 rests, lugs 15 maintain the cover member inposition relative toopposing sides 5 and surfaces 14 and arcuatelyshapedmembers 10 and complimentary recesses 18 prevent any longitudinalmovement of the cover member relative to the housing member. Covermember 16 holds terminal members T in position within the housing memberand the terminal members are obviously placed in position priorto thecover member being applied to the housing member.

Terminal members T comprise ferrule sections 19 and contact sections 20.Ferrule sections 19 are preferably secured onto the conductive portionsand insulation of conductor members 21 in accordance with conventionalcrimping techniques. Contact sections are U-shaped with one legextending outwardly from ferrule sections 19 and a free leg being bentback along the ferrule leg toward the ferrule sections. Depressions 22are disposed in the outer ends of the free legs of the contact sections20.

Terminal members T are inserted within housing member H by placing theterminals around projections 7 between the legs of contact sections 20with the ferrule sections and ferrule legs being disposed againstrespective sides 5 and the free legs of the contact sections extendingresiliently across parts of the small portions of keyhole openings 3 asillustrated in FIGURE 5. Conductor members 21 extend outwardly throughrespective recesses 6 in opposite directions. Extensions 8 andprojections '7 limit the inner and outer movements of the terminalmembers after theyhave been secured in position in the housing membervia cover member 16. Thus, projections 7 and extensions 8 along withcover member 16, secure the terminal members in position within thehousing member.

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrates an alternative embodiment to removablysecure the terminal members within the housing member. In thisembodiment, a projection 23 extends outwardly from the inside surface ofsection 2 which is spaced from'side 5' and extends parallel therewith inorder to define a channel 24. The inner end of projection 23 has arecess 23. A recess 25 is disposed within side 5 and an opening 26extends through section 2 in correspondence with recess 25. Terminalmember T is the same as terminal members T except that a spring lance 27is struck out from the terminal leg of. contact section 20. Terminal Tis inserted within channel 24 causing the contact section to be slightlydepressed until the bight of the terminal member engages extension 8whereupon spring lance 27 springs into recess 25 and the free end of thecontact section is disposed Within recess 23' in order 'to latch theterminal member in position within the housing member as illustrated inFIGURE 7.

Ferrule section 19 is disposed within channel 24 and with cover member16 in position on the housing member, terminal member T is maintained inposition within the housing member. A tool (not shown) can be insertedthrough openings 3 and 26 in order to move spring lance 27 out of recess25 and the, free end of the contact section out of recess 23' andterminal member T can be removed from the housing member by pulling onconductor member 21. The cover member preferably remains in position onthe housing member when inserting the terminal member in position withinthe housing member and removing same therefrom. Of course, with the useof terminalmem bers T, the housing member can be a one-piece housingmember.

In operatiomheads 1 of contacts lare disposed within the large portionsof openings 3. The starter member is rotated with the small sections ofcontacts 1 moving within the smaller portions of openings 3 and heads -1move along guide members 4 and in engagement with the free ends ofcontact sections 20. The starter member is rotated until the smallersections of contacts 1 engage the ends of the smaller portions ofopenings 3 and heads 1 become lodged within depressions 22. Theresiliency of the free legs of the contact sections bias heads 1 againstguide members 4 and depressions 22 hold the contactsin position. Heads1' also prevent starter member SM from being pulled out of openings 3-because the diameter of heads 1 is larger than the small portions ofopenings 3. Since guide members 4 extend along portions of the smallportions ofopenings 3, the spaced contacts of the starter member areproperly guided thereby eliminating any external guide means in the formof an annular ring in which the starter member would be seated. Withguide members 4 being disposedalon-g more than half of the largeportions of openings .3, heads 1 of contacts 1 are readily move into andout of openings 3.

FIGURES 8 through 12 illustrate the alternative em bodiment of thesocket which is a combination socket for accommodating a starter memberand one end of a fluorescent tube. In this embodiment, socket Scomprises a housing member H having a fluorescent light section 28 and astarter member section 29. Fluorescent section 28 is similarinconstruction to the fluorescent light socket set forth in US. Patentapplication, Ser. No. 437,451, filed Mar. 5, 1965, now US. Patent3,333,227 and assigned to the present assignee. Fluorescent section28includes a centrally located chamber of substantiallytriangularconfiguration with the ends of the base portiondefiningoutwardly curved portions. ChamberSO is open in the frontsurface of the socket and is closed by the bottom surface thereof. Anentrance slot 31 is disposed in the socket and is in communication withchamber 30 atthe apex thereof. Each outer surface 32 of entrance slot 31is preferably beveled in order to facilitate access to chamber 31. Acontact passage 33 extends outwardly from the left outer curved end ofchamber 30 to the end of section 28 and another contact passage 34extends inwardly from the end containing entrance slot 31 and is incommunication with chamber 30. Access passage 35 extends inwardly fromthe end containing entrance slot 31 and terminates at an inner surface36. An access passage 37 extends parallel to contact passage 33 and theouter surface thereof terminates at an inner surface 38. Contact passage33 actually continues beyond the respective curved end of chamber 2 andterminates at an abutment 39 which is disposed in the side of chamber30. Thus, chamber 30 is in communication with entrance slot 31, contactpassages 33 and 34, and access passages 35 and 37; contact passage 33 isin communication with access passage 35 while contact passage 34 is incommunication with access passage 37.

Starter member section 29 has spaced keyhole openings 40 which aredisposed in the bottom surface of the socket. Contact passage 41 extendsinwardly from the end of the socket opposite the end containing entranceslot 31 and communicates with chamber 30 as illustrated in FIGURE 10. Anextension 42 extends outwardly from the end containing contact passage41 and passage 41 extends therethrough. A channel 43 is disposed withinsection 44 and channel 43 communicates with passage 41 with channel 43extending from chamber 30 to surface 45. A contact passage 46 isdisposed parallel to contact passage 34 and is separated therefrom bymeans of wall 47. Contact passage 46 is in communication with chamber30. Thus, chamber 30 is located in both sections 28 and 29 and itextends upwardly in section 29 as illustrated in FIGURES and 12. A slot48 is disposed in wall 47 and terminates at a surface 49. A blind hole50 is disposed in section 44. Stepped sections 51 are located at the endof the socket containing extension 42 and these stepped sections matewith the corresponding opening 52 in panel 53 such as, for example, areflecting member. A hole 54 is located in panel 53 in order tocorrespond with blind hole 50 and a self-tapping screw 55 is screwedinto blind hole 50 so as to secure the socket in position on the panel.Extension 42 in extending beyond panel 53 provides stability to thesocket when it is secured in position on the panel via screw 55. Housingmember H is a one-piece housing member.

Terminal member 56 is similar to terminal member T' in FIGURES 6 and 7and is preferably crimped onto conductor member 57. Terminal member 56includes a contact section 58 having a depression 59 into which acontact of a fluorescent tube is disposed. Lance member 60 on terminalmember 56 engages surface 36 in order to limit the outer movement of theterminal member and the bight of contact section 58 engages abutment 39in order to limit the inner movement of the terminal member within thesocket.

Common terminal member 61 is insertable within slot 48 and has a lancemember 62 extending outwardly therefrom for engagement with innersurface 38 in order to limit the movement of the terminal member in onedirection and the terminal member engages surface 49 which limits themovement of the terminal member in the other direction. Terminal member61 includes a first contact section 63 which is similar in configurationto contact section 58 of terminal member 56 so that depression 64thereof engages the other contact of the fluorescent tube. Contactsection 63 lies within contact passage 34. Common terminal member 61also includes a second contact section 65 which lies in contact passage46 and has an arcuate portion 66 which lies across a portion of thesmall portion of the bottom keyhole opening 40.

Terminal member 67 is preferably crimped to conductor member 68 and hasa leg 69 extending substantially normal to the ferrule section forcrimping the terminal member onto the conductor member. Lance member 70ex tends outwardly from leg 69 which engages surface 45 after terminalmember 67 has been insertedwithin contact passage 41. A projection 71extends outwardly from 6 the terminal member forward of the ferrulesection and is disposed within channel 41' within contact passage 41 andprojection 71 engages the end of channel 41' in order to limit the innermovement of terminal member 67 within passage 41 while lance member 70limits the outer movement of the terminal. A contact section extendsoutwardly from leg 69 and is bent back across leg 69 at an angulardisposition so that depression 73 extends across a portion of the smallportion of the upper keyhole opening 40, as illustrated in FIGURE 12. Ofcourse, the free legs of the contact sections of terminal members 56, 61and 67 are resilient. Contact sections and 72 are engageable with thecontacts of the starter member and arcuate portion 66 and depression 73hold the contacts in position.

In order to remove terminal members 56, 61 and 67 from their respectivecontact passages, a tool (not shown) is inserted within access passages35 and 37 or through entrance slot 31 in order to depress lance members60, 62, and away from respective surfaces 36, 38 and 45 so that theterminal members can be readily removed from the socket.

As can be discerned, there has been disclosed a unique and novel sockethaving a housing member in which terminal members are removably mountedfor electrical engagement with spaced contacts of a tubular member ormembers.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and otherdesirable objects have been achieved; however, it should be emphasizedthat the particular embodiments of the invention, which are shown anddescribed herein, are intended as merely illustrative and not asrestrictive of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A socket for use with an electrical device having spaced contactmembers comprising in combination a housing member of dielectricmaterial and terminal members; said housing member having a sectionprovided with spaced openings, each of said openings having a largeportion and a small portion, sides extending outwardly from saidsection, guide means extending outwardly from an inside surface of saidsection, said guide means extending along more than half of said largeportions of said openings and adjacent part of said small portions,opposing sides having recesses with each of said recesses being disposedsubstantially parallel with the longitudinal disposition of a respectiveopening; said terminal members having contact sections and ferrulesections, conductor member secured to said ferrule sections, saidcontact sections having sections extending resiliently across the smallportions of said openings to electrically engage said contact members,said contact sections including means therein to engage said contactmembers to hold them in position, said conductor members beingextendable through respective recesses and in opposite directions; andmeans on said housing member and said terminal members and includingcover means for said housing member for removably securing said terminalmembers in position in said housing member.

2. A socket according to claim 1 wherein said guide means includeextensions defining stop means to limit the inner movement of theterminal members into the housing member.

3. A socket according to claim 1 wherein said housing member hasprojections in alignment with respective recesses and being disposedadjacent respective openings, said contact sections having a U-shapewith the projections being disposed within respective contact sections.

4. A socket according to claim 1 wherein said sides adjacent respectiveopenings having further recesses, said terminal members having springlances matable with said further recesses.

5. A socket according to claim 1 wherein said housing member hasprojections extending parallel to respective sides from opposing sidesat said recesses and inwardly 7 8 toward respective openings to definechannels along which 2,728,060 12/ 1955 Doeg 1 339- 217 said ferrulesections and conductor members extend. 2,762,026 9/ 195 6 Knohl 339192References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 517,353 2/1953Belgium.

2,318,536 5/1943 Stern 339-51 2,336,750 12/1943 Ronfiy et a1 n 339;MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Plzmary Exam mer. 2,345,414 3/1944 Mueller 339-51 I.H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner.

